South Asia

The church organisation set up such centres in St. Michael's Parish. An estimated 400 to 500 out-of-school students between the ages of 6 and 14 are not going to school in the area. Among the causes are poverty, child labour, and climate change. For Father Nobert Nazir, they are “a sign of hope. Education is not a privilege”.

In a story that has sadly gone viral in India in recent days, a villager exhumed his sister’s remains to “prove” her death to officials who were preventing him from withdrawing money from her account. The community where he now lives wants him to perform a ritual bath and a series of other public acts to atone for the desecration. Otherwise, he will be banished.

Over 200 delegates, including bishops, priests and laypeople from all the Latin Rite dioceses in India, have gathered in Bangalore for the event entitled ‘Synodal Pilgrims of Hope’. The proceedings focused on four of the priorities outlined in the CCBI’s pastoral programme: accompanying young people and children, poverty and integral ecology, inclusion, interreligious dialogue and peace-building.

Farmers are trying to harvest the grains, which are not yet fully ripe, so as not to lose everything in the country’s “food cupboard”, where boro rice is the only major crop of the year. Authorities are concerned about the impact on food security. But people are pointing the finger at poorly planned embankments and blocked drainage systems that exacerbate the effects of the weather.

Labour Day celebrations across Asia were dominated by the impact of the Gulf crisis on local economies. Prabowo also announced new regulations strengthening protections for delivery riders. In Singapore, Prime Minister Wong urged the public to prepare for prolonged economic hardship. In Sri Lanka, celebrations were organised by the Christian Workers’ Fellowship.

Between 2021 and 2025, 37,740 Indian workers died abroad, over 86% of them in Gulf countries, and reports of abuse and exploitation are also on the rise. However, migration flows remain central to the Indian economy, due to remittances. The crisis in the Middle East is putting pressure on an already fragile system, including from an energy perspective, and in the long term risks causing a domestic economic shock.

FIFA has decided to allow Afghan players to represent their country in international women’s competitions, despite the Taliban's failure to recognise them. At the same time, Afghan men are expelled from Europe under controversial agreements, while the country is still in the grips of a serious humanitarian crisis. Al-Qaeda backs the Taliban against the Pakistani government.

As many as 55 Missionaries of Charity had been removed from the electoral roll, as had thousands of other people – mostly Bengalis – in the controversial revision imposed by the central government in New Delhi. Exit polls suggest the BJP is in the lead, but there are many doubts about their reliability as the controversy has driven turnout up to almost 93%. Official results on 4 May.

The work affects the property of the historic St. Mark's Church, founded in 1882. For its pastor, Rev Din, three times more land has been taken without the church’s consent. Protesters are calling on Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif to act. The protest reflects minority concerns over land rights and the protection of religious property.

Among the causes are uncontrolled price rises, rising costs, ageing trees and the ‘stepchild’ treatment of a crop once considered gold. Field productivity levels are set to halve by 2025. Yet this sector has played a key role in the island’s economic development, driving employment and mitigating the impact of climate change.

The government has given the green light to a railway corridor linking the bauxite deposits at Sijimali and Kutrumali. The decision comes after violent clashes with local communities, who denounce land expropriation, environmental damage and violations of their rights, which are also enshrined in law. The government defends the project in the name of development, but protests against mining expansion have been ongoing for three years.

According to the latest report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, global military spending reached US$ 2.887 trillion in 2025, marking the eleventh consecutive year of growth. In Asia, growth is driven by China, Japan, India, and Taiwan, due to strategic rivalries and uncertainty over the role of the United States. In the Middle East, Israeli spending was down, but Turkey’s and Saudi Arabia’s were up.